Locking means



U. E. HIGGINS.

LOCMNG MEANS.

APPLlCATiON mu] APR.'22. I918.

1,330,394. Patented Feb. 10,1920.

m IIA'III Ill INVENM David ifil'gga'lzg v MU- 1kb, w 14 4216-441, B W

RTTORNEY DAVID E. RIGGINS, F PERRY, OKLAHOMA.

LOCKING MEANS.

Application flied April 22.

To all whom it ma: concern Be it known tiat I, DAVID E. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Perry, in the county of Noble and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lockin r Means, of which the following is p 'speci cation.

his invention relates to locking means, and more particularly to means for locking the steering gear of an ant mobile so as to prevent unauthorized use of the same.

.One of the main objects of the invention readily assem led or is to provide a locking device of simple construction and operation which may be readily applied to an automobile steering gear of standard construction. A further object is to rovide alock which may be disassembled, in which the lockingbolt may be secured in either operative or inoperative position. Further 0 jects will appear from the detailed description.

Inthe drawin Figure 1 is a side yiew of a locking device constructed in accordance with my invention, as applied. I

. 1g. 2 is a longitudinal section through the lock and the adJacent portion qf the standard. V

Fig. 3 is a section through the lock taken substantially on linel.3.-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail section taken through the standard and the adjacent portion of the lock.

-member 1 is formed with an integral v having .the outwardly directed lametrica ly opposite securing ears 2 which are adapted to receive securing rivets so as to secure the T-member to a tubular standard 3 of an automobile of usual construction, this standard being secured at its base to the foot-board or floor of the vehicle in the usual manner. The steering rod 4 is mounted in standard 3 so as to be operable therein, steering wheel 5 being secured to the upper end of this rod. All of the parts so far described are of usual or standard construction.

A tubular bolt casing or sleeve 6 is threaded into neck 7 of T-mcmber 1. A bolt 8 is slidably mounted in casing 6 and has its inner end portion 9 adapted to engage into a cooperating recess 10 m the rod 4, standard 3 being proridcd with a suitable openi g which is adapted to snugly receive the inner cud port on or the bolt. This boll clamp bod Specification of Letters Patent.

' (i, the number Elates so that, by

Patented Feb. 10, 1920. 1918. Serial No. 230,115.

is further provided with spaced radially projecting lugs 11 which are operable through a lougitmlinally extending slot 12 provided through casing 0. Lugs 11 correspond in height to the thickness of annular locking plates or tumblers 13 which anmounted on casing {i so as to be turncd"abo|u. the same. Each of these plates is provided with an opening or slot 13 contiguous toils central bore or openin; which slot col-rcs onds in size and shape to the lugs 11 so tliat, by turning, the plates into such rein! ivc positions as to bring these slots into alincment, the bolt 8 may be moved citlier outward] y or inwardly. as desired. 1% y changing the relative positions ofbe platcsonsleme s of the combinations may be of course,;that the pliite [are numbers a varied, it being understood, the ieriphcral surfaces of num cred, certain of those in axial alinemcnt wit bringing the pro er-nums el'S lntoalinemcnt, the slots wil .ailso' be alilned thus permitting operaticinfofthe spending recess in the inner face thejneck of the members, when the ho l. is'in its innermost position, thus 0 h the slots-of the The innermost lug 11 is of I 'V-shape and is adapted to fit into q'fjc'orro mg the casing 6 againstrotary moycinent, in i the neck of the T member. This provides a locking means which prevents detaching casing 6 when the'bolt is in its inncimor operative position, while pcrmittingtlris casing to be readily detached from the T member when the bolt is in retracted tion, thus rcndering it possible and easily interchange the locking tumblers so as to vary the combination. It will be understood that the lug ll'flis of such size as to fit within the slot of the innermost tumblers when the bolt is in its center position so that, by grasping the-tumblers, the casing (i may be readily turned, the first. third, and fifth tumbler being in engagcmentwith lugs 11 and 11'.

closure cap 14 is secured on the outer casing 6 by means of securing screws hich are threaded through the reduced neck of the cap, as in Fig. 2. A collar 16 is mounted loosely about the neck of cap 1-1 and serves to prevent access to the screws thus rendering it impossible to remove the cap. This cap is providcd with a central opening which lidably receives a reduced ,tWeen said collar and the neck of the'T- member, the plates being provided with slots adapted to accommodate the lugs of said bolt when in alinement, and 'means for operatin said bolt exteriorly of the casing.

2. n a device of the class described, a T-shaped tubular coupling adapted to be mounted on a steering column of an automobile, a casin threaded into the neck of said couplin a ocking bolt slidable in said cas ing, a c osure cap on the end of said casing, said bolt having a reduced extension projecting throughsaid cap, a coiled spring on said extension within said casing operating to normally project the bolt, spaced radially projecting lugs carried b said bolt, said casing having a longitu inally extending slot through which said lugs o erate, annular tumblers mounted on sai casing and rotatable thereon, each having an opening contiguous to its central bore corresponding in size and shape to said lugs to provide for releasing the bolt, said tumblers having depressions on their opposed faces adjacent the bores therein, and means carried by the bolt for locking it against turning when in operative position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID E. HIGGINS.

Witnesses LOUIS ENDREs, S. C. LAIRD. 

